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Backyard Wildlife Habitat in Vermont

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Backyard Wildlife Habitat in Vermont Backyard Wildlife Habitat In Vermont by Steve Parren Illustrated by Libby Walker Davidson Presented by the Agency of Natural Resources Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department Nongame and Natural Heritage Program In cooperation with Central Vermont Public Service Corporation and support from the Vermont Forest Stewardship Program Drawing copyright © by Libby Davidson. Drawings may not be reproduced without prior written permission of the Illustrator. The MISSION of the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department is the conservation of fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the people of Vermont. The Agency of Natural Resources is an equal opportunity agency and offers all persons the benefit of participation in each of its programs and competing in all areas of employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual preference, or other non-merit factors. Printed on recycle paper (1993) Reprinted 1997 (8M) Backyard Wildlife Habitat In Vermont Table of Contents Enjoying Wildlife 1 Wildlife Habitat in Your Backyard 2 Food 3 Birdseed .............................................................................................................. 3 Suet and Other Fatty Foods ............................................................................ 5 Birdseed Feeders ............................................................................................... 6 Shields for Feeders and Nesting Boxes ......................................................... 6 Gravel and Eggshells ....................................................................................... 7 When to Feed the Birds .................................................................................. 7 Hummingbirds ................................................................................................. 8 Food Plants 9 Large Trees ....................................................................................................... 9 Smaller Trees .................................................................................................... 10 Large Shrubs .................................................................................................... 11 Smaller Shrubs ................................................................................................. 12 Brambles and Vines ........................................................................................ 13 Grasses and Wildflowers ................................................................................ 13 Butterfly Gardening ........................................................................................1 6 Plants that Attract Hummingbirds ............................................................... 17 Dead Trees and Other Insect Food .............................................................. 17 Water 18 Birdbaths and Other Shallow Water ............................................................. 18 Keep Your Water Wet (Unfrozen) ................................................................ 19 Pools to Ponds ................................................................................................. 19 Cover 21 Nesting Boxes .................................................................................................. 21 Bat Boxes .......................................................................................................... 24 Buildings, Barns and Wildlife ........................................................................ 24 Nesting Material .............................................................................................. 25 Plants and Natural Materials as Cover 25 Trees, Shrubs, and Grasses ............................................................................ 25 Lookout Perches .............................................................................................. 25 Protection from Predators ............................................................................. 26 Dead and Hollow Trees ................................................................................. 26 Fallen Trees, Brush Piles and Stone Walls ................................................... 27 Developing Your Backyard 28 Consider What You Already Have ............................................................... 28 An Example from the Suburbs ..................................................................... 29 An Urban Example ......................................................................................... 30 Observing Wildlife .......................................................................................... 30 Designing Your Backyard for Wildlife and You ......................................... 31 Birds Hitting Window .................................................................................... 32 What You Can Do In Your Backyard .......................................................... 32 Maintaining Your Backyard Wildlife Habitat 35 Seeding, Mowing, and Cutting ...................................................................... 35 Moving Trees and Shrubs .............................................................................. 36 Being Responsible 37 Dangers of Collecting Wildflowers .............................................................. 37 Non-native Animals and Plants .................................................................... 37 Global Warming and What You Can Do .................................................... 37 When to Stop Feeding .................................................................................... 39 Preventing Disease .......................................................................................... 40 Cats and Dogs................................................................................................... 40 Poisoning........................................................................................................... 40 Other Risks to Wildlife .................................................................................. 41 Leaving Wildlife Wild ..................................................................................... 41 Animals that Need Help ................................................................................ 41 When Wildlife Get Annoying ....................................................................... 42 Rabies ................................................................................................................ 42 Wildlife and You 43 Backyard Wildlife Contacts 44 Reference Materials 45 Backyard Wildlife Habitat in Vermont by Steve Parren Enjoying Wildlife as a cup of coffee. It ll of us enjoy observing is a lifestyle Awildlife. We stop to admire that is the ‘V’ of geese flying overhead rapidly and are thrilled by the sight of a spreading in the U.S.A.: birdseed bluebird. The deer at the meadow’s sales went from 1 billion dollars in edge and the scurrying chipmunk 1985 to 3.3 billion dollars in 2006! on the wall give us pleasure. Who Vermonters are part of this trend. wouldn’t stop to watch painted We spent $68 million on feeding, turtles sunning themselves on a watching, and photographing partly submerged log? Spring wildlife in 2006. A 2006 survey mornings wouldn’t be complete showed that 78 percent of the without a robin’s song. Vermont respondents fed wildlife We enjoy wild animals whenever and 70 percent reported observing we are lucky enough to see or hear wildlife at home. them. A growing number of us The world we live in is full of have discovered that the joy of people — 6.7 billion on the planet, seeing and hearing wildlife can be 304 million in the U.S.A., and over experienced every day—right at 623,000 in Vermont. With so many home. of us, wild animals and plants are Feeding “my” birds in the morning being squeezed out of their homes. is as much a part of my daily routine We can help wildlife by being good neighbors Many animals are willing to share our yards. Cardinals, chickadees, rabbits, squirrels, frogs, toads, bluebirds, woodpeckers, and chipmunks are only a few of the wild animals that will liven up our yards if we give them a chance. We don’t need to live our lives apart from nature. Our own backyards can be both safe havens for wildlife and delightful connections with the natural world for us. 1 Wildlife Habitat in Your Backyard This booklet is written for those Different kinds of animals and who would like to enjoy wildlife at plants are found in different home. I’ve included many ideas habitats. Some animals and plants that have been successful attracting live in meadows while others prefer wildlife to Vermont backyards. woodlands. Look over these ideas and try Backyards can be productive out the ones that appeal to you. wildlife habitat, especially when our If you want more information landscaping efforts blend in with or assistance, contact a group natural conditions. Most yards have interested in backyard wildlife the potential to provide needed habitat and read other materials FOOD, WATER, and COVER listed at the end of this booklet. for many species of wildlife. A little effort on your part will be Feeding the birds supplements the rewarded by wildlife sharing your food requirements of a number backyard. of different birds and perhaps chipmunks and squirrels. Add a Wildlife Habitat in Your birdbath or garden pool and wildlife Backyard will not need to leave your yard to hat is wildlife habitat? WWildlife habitat is the area in which animals find the FOOD, WATER, and COVER they need to
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